The invention relates to railroad cars, especially the trucks or bogies which are located at the opposing ends of a railroad car to support the car on the rails of a trackway. More particularly, the invention relates to a truck which is manufactured and sold by National Castings Incorporated of Lisle, Ill. under the trademark SWING MOTION. A detailed description of this quality truck with excellent high speed performance characteristics is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,660. The SWING MOTION truck is manufactured from many different steel parts, and essentially comprises a pair of rigid sideframes which are held in parallel relation by a transom and juxtaposed bolster which are coupled in parallel, transverse relation between the sideframes. Each of the sideframes includes a pair of pedestals which are in side-by-side aligned, spaced relation. Each of the pedestals is basically an inverted, generally U-shaped, rigid frame which is designed to support an axle box with roller bearings in which one end of an axle with an attached pair of wheels, is mounted for rotation.
The SWING MOTION truck was designed at a time when railroad cars were smaller than presently built cars which are bigger, heavier, and capable of carrying much larger loads. A study of this particular truck reveals sideframes which are exceptionally strong and probably need no reinforcing. The invention is directed to substantially increasing the strength of the bolster without adversely effecting the relationship between the bolster and adjacent transom.
Briefly stated, the invention is in the provision of a longitudinally extending reinforcement rib on the underside of the bolster closest the transom. An elongated slot is placed longitudinally in the transom between the parallel marginal edges of the transom, to receive the rib should the load springs which support the bolster, come under heavy loading and deflect to a point where the rib would contact the transom, if the slot were not in the transom. Thus, the integrity or relationship between the bolster and transom is maintained, while the strength of the bolster is increased.